bevans



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. H. BEVANS.

GUN CARRIAGE Patented June 7,1898.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- W. H. BEVANS.

GUN CARRIAGE No. 605.376. Patented June'7, 1898.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3;

W. H. BEVANS.

GUN CARRIAGE.

Patented June 7 VQW wane/35% a Hovnu /J [No Model.) 5 Sheets --Sheet 4.

W. H. BEVANS.

GUN CARRIAGE.

' No. 605,876- Patented June 7,1898.

W II/1111101111Ill/111111117111111/1,

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No ModeL) W. H. BEVANSV GUN CARRIAGE.

No. 605,376. Patented June 7,1898.

'wummto'c 1 6M MW 4 form of training mechanism which is applied '45 taken onthe line 13 13 of Fig. 14; and Fig.

14 is. a. transverse sectional-viewof the same,

taken on the line 14 14' of Fig. 13.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM II; BEYANS, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

GUNQGARRIAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,376, dated June 7, 1898. Application mm September 23,- 1897. seen 1%. 652,757. "(No mam.)

. To all whom it may concern:

ordnance, and especially to recoil mechanism elevating and depressing mechanism, and training mechanism.

It consists in the construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described ,and

, particularlypointed out in the claims.

Referring to .the drawings, Figure 1 is-a section of a gun, showingmy improvements, the

section being taken on the lin'eI l of Fig. ,2. Fig. 1 is a section along the line a: a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 isa top plan view of my invention,

the wheels of the carriage'be'ing removed.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the recoil mechanism on an enlarged scale.

ism, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. 'Fi 5 is a side view of the recoil-cylinder with one head removed, the shaft of the piston being shown in section. I I section of the recoil mechanism, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a view showing the groove which is cut in the interior= of the recoil-cylinder. Fig. '8 is a longitudinal sectional viewof theratchet-and-pawl mechanism used in training the gun from side to side. Fig. 9 is a. top view of the same, partly in section. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of said ratchet mechanism. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view showing the to the lower end of the trail. 1 Fig. 12 is a side view of the same, the spade being shown in sections Fig.13 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of recoil mechanism,

Arepresents the wheels of an ordinary guncarriage, mounted on the axlea. This axle has an enlarged portion immediately inside of the wheels,whichenlarged portion extends and location Fig. 4 is a transversevertical section of said recoil mechan-- Fig. 6 is a longitudinal from hub to hub and is provided with a groove or keyway a in its upper surface. Mounted upon this enlarged portion of the axle is a plate a the forward part of which is horizontal and the rearpart of which slopes down ward and backward to conform to the inclination of the trail.

On each side-near the wheels are straps 0. which pass over theaxle and are bolted to the plate a one or both of which may have a downward projection fitting in the keyway 0.. Upon the plate a is mounted the fiask' a, which has'a plate corresponding in shape to the platen which plates are bolted togethenj lhis flask also has an extension or sleeve a which extends over the axle between the strap a and the flask proper,

a. The upper part of the flask a is constructed in the usual manner-that is to say, it is curved nearly to the arc of a circle, and

on one side thereof it is provided with a plained.

The trail is of peculiar construction, as shown in Figs. 1, 1, and 2. The flask, 'as shown therein, is, when viewed from above, shaped approximatelylike a horseshoe. To the center of the curve of this horseshoe is attached the trail proper, .T. This in crosssection is practically in the form of an I-beam, consisting of the central plate j and the side pieces j. This, as said before, is bolted 'to the central. part'of the curve of the flask, and the junction of the flask and trail is strengthened by triangular pieces 9' one above one below, bolted to the flask and to the trail. This construction is of especial value in that it greatly reduces the weight of the trail without to anyappreciable degree impairing its curved rack a, for a purpose tobe hereinafter exand strength. By this construction, too, a very narrow foot is provided, so that said foot, and

with it the trail, may be swung around by the gearing shown in Figs. 11 and 12, thus enabling the gun to be trained in a horizontal plane.

The gun itself is mounted in aheavy metal as is shown in Fig- 4, except Figs. 2, and 4, and pieces of end of the shaft, (shown-in Figs.

sheet metal bare used to-fill in the portions cut away for the pointwhich is of great importance. Inside this cylinder is a piston D, which is stationary, while the recoil-cylinder moves around it.- This piston is mounted on the shaft (1,

which is supported in the extensions b'of the frame B. The outer ends of this shaft D are polygonal in cross-section, and the apertures in the extensions 12 are similarly shaped to receive them. It is obvious that this arrangement might be reversed and that the cylinder might be stationary and the piston movable.

A strap 12 tension 1) furnishes the bearings for said piston-shaft This strap has a cut-away part or groo e located on the inside of said strapat its ce. ter, and in this groove is a key 12 one at each 3 and 4,) to hold the shaft d firmly in place. are usedto hold these keys firmly in position. This piston-shaft has two screw-threaded portions at each end, 5 and b the larger, and a circular enlarged portion b of the cylinder 0.

D, which may or may not be at each side, engaging in a cut-away portion in the ends a The piston made integral with the shaftd, is best shown wall of the cylinder. 'At' its provided with extensions (1',

half of the cylinderC in Fig. 6 and extends from the shaft (1 to the outer end it is p which fit into corresponding grooves in the cylinder-head. Suitable nuts engage the screw-threads b and b and packing is inserted between the. en

largements b and the nuts engaging the screwthreads I). v p 7 The cylinder-heads are show-pin Fig. 4 with portions engaging the enlarged portions b on the shaft 0. and extending over the nuts engaging the screw-threads b. Approximately the forward half of the cylinderis made solid,

as shown in- Fig. 6. A groove 0 of a peculiar shape, as shown in Fig. 7, is cut in, the rear,

fora purpose presentlyto be described. One side of this groove is cylinder 0 by bolts 0%.

straight, and the other side is formed by a parabolic curve. v I

The cylinder-heads c are firmly bolted to the This cylinder in' pracrice is filled with a suitable liquid, such as a glycerin. To prevent the liquid from leaking around the shaft 11 when the gun is recoil ing, a flexible strip 0 is fastened by bolts 0 to the solid part of the arranged with its. axis at anglesto t e a i ro he sue. a,

engages the lower part of the exand together with said extension Screws b p the latter being cylinder just above the shaft (1 and between the extensions b upon said shaft, the lower part resting loosely upon said shaft (1 and preventing the escape of liquid around said shaft. a

The cylinder 0 is provided with gear-teeth c on the outer surface, which teeth extend a little more than half-way around said cylin .der. .These gear-teeth mesh with gear-teeth e on the rack E, which slides in ways e in the frameE, as shown in Fig. 4. This rack is pivote at e to a ring e shrunk upon the gun in rear of the-frame B. The cylinder and piston, together with the rack and pinion and adjacent parts, constitute the recoil mechanism. p

When the gun is fired, the shock causes it to travel backward, carrying with it the rack-E, which, engaging the teeth on the cylinder 0, causes said cylinder to revolve. This revolution is checked by the piston D and can only take place as the liquid contained in the cylinder escapes past the piston through-9fo the groove 0?. Strong spiral springs F, attached to the frame B and to the cylinder O, one on each side thereof, serve to return the gun to its normal position after firing. As said before, this recoil-cylinder is located with its axis'at right angles to the axis of the gun. This permits the use of a very short cylinder, which is only. about one-tenth as long as the usual recoil-cylinder and permits the weight to be greatly reduce'd, a factwhich is of much importance in field service, for

which my improved gun is especially dcsigned.

I have described the recoil mechanism as f mounted behind and slightly below the axle of the carriage. This arrangement is preferable, as it permits the gun to be placed lower down; but it is obvious that the recoil mechanism might be mounted either on the axle or in front of the same, if desired'.

A modification of my recoil mechanism is shownin Figs. 13 and 14. In this modification the rack-.and-pinion arrangement is replaced by a chain E',,f-astened to the ring (2 and to the cylinder 0. In this modification also the recoil-cylinder is mounted directly uponthe axle of the gun. In bothmodifications the recoil-cylinder is inclosed in a sheet- -metal casing. (Shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in dotted lines.)

The second partof my invention relates to means for-elevating and-depressing the gun.

one side of the frame B areextensions G. The outer part-of these extensions is circular; and perforated to form bearings for a shaft 9, journaled therein. Splined on this shaft is a worm-gear g, which meshes with the geargear is a strong spiral spring g to relieve the strain upon the teeth when the gun is disupon the flask. In'front of the worm charged. By operating this worm-gearit is' v obvious that the gun may b'eelevated or de-' pressed. This worm-gear is operated by means of a ratchet mechanism. (Shown in detail in screw-threads a Engaging these screw-threads is a ratchetcoasts g s Fig. 10.) This ratchet mechanism consists of the ratchet h, fastened to, the worm gear or shaft g, with a casing h surrounding it. This casing is extended and forms ahandleH,which is perforated. Running through this handle is a rod 72/ the lower part or head of which, h, is pointed and adapted to engage when pressed inwardly with the teeth of the ratchet. The spring 72. is inserted in an enlarged portion k of the hollow handle and tends to keep the head 72. out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth. When it is desired to operate the ratchet, the enlarged end of the rod h is pressed downwardly with the thumb, where upon the head h engages with the ratchetteeth, and the ratchet may be moved in either direction.

" The third feature of my invention relates to the training of the gun in a horizontal plane. One part of the main axle is provided with (See Figs. 2, 9, and 14.)

wheel 72. the inner part of which is provided with a screw thread engaging said screwtlireaded portion of the axle and the outer part of which is provided with ratchet-teeth. This ratchet and accompanying mechanism are shown in detail inFigs. 8 and 9 and are similar to the ratchet mechanism shown in Fig. 10, with the exception that instead of being operated by the thumb a lever h is pivoted in an extension on the hollow handle, which lever engages with the outer end of the shaft in the hollow handle. By working this ratchet the whole carriage is swung in a horizontal plane about the spade I as a center? Itis obvious that by this mechanism the gun may be trained in a horizontal plane to a limited extent.

An additional training mechanislnis shown in Figs. 11 and 12. In this case the ratchet mechanism is applied directly to the lower end of the trail, and it is obvious without any further description that by working the ratchet the gun may be swung in a horizontal plane in either direction.

Ihave not claimed herein the means for elevating, depressing, and training the gun, as these means form the subject-matter of another application, Serial No. 678,144, filed April 19, 1898.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- v 1. The combination of a gun, a fluid recoilcheck located beneath and in close proximity to said gun, saidgun directly actuating the mechanism of saidrecoil-check, said recoilcheck being provided with a cylinder arranged substantially at right angles to the axis .of

' the gun, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a gun, a fluid recoil- I check located beneath and in close proximity to said gun, saidlrecoil-check being provided with a rotatable cylinder arranged at substantially right angles to the axis of the gun,-

substantially as described.

3. The combination of a gun, a fluid recoilcheck having a cylinder arr..nged substan tially at right angles to the axis of the gun, and means for transmitting the recoil of the gun to said check causing said cylinder to rotate partially, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination of a gun, a fluid recoilcheck provided with a cylinder located at substantially right angles to the axis of the gun, means for transmitting the recoil of the gun to said cylinder, causing the latter to rotate'partially, and means for restoring the gun to its normal position, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a gun, a fluid recoilcheck provided with a cylinder located sub stantially at right angles to the axis of the gun,'and a stationary piston in said cylinder, substantially as described.

6. The combination of agun, a recoil-check provided with a rotatable cylinder located at substantially right angles to the gun, a sta-- tionary piston in saidcylinder, and means for rotating said cylinder by the recoil of the gun, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a gun, a recoil-check provided with a rotatable cylinder arranged at substantially right angles to the gun, a

stationary piston in said cylinder, means for rotating said cylinder by the recoil of the gun, and means for restoring said gun to its normal position, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a gun, of a casing inwhich said gun is mounted and adapted to slide, a recoil-cylinder. journaled in said casing at rightangles to the gun, and means for transmitting the recoil of the gun to said cylinder, substantially as described.

- 9. The combination with a gun, of a casing in which said gun is mounted and adapted to slide, a recoil-cylinder journaled in said casing and provided with teeth upon its periphery, and a rack secured to said gun and adapted to engage with the teeth on said cylinder, so that the recoil of said gun will tend to rotate the cylinder, substantially as dc scribed.

10. The combination with-a gun, of acasing in which said gun is mounted and adapted to slide, a recoil-cylinder journaled in said casing and provided with'teeth on its periphery, a stationary piston in said cylinder, a rack secured to said gun and meshing with the teeth-on said cylinder and means for restoring the gun to its normal position after firing, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a gun, of. a casing in which said gun is-mounted and adapted to slide, a recoil-cylinder journaled in said casing and provided with teeth on'its periphery,

' said cylinder being provided with a groove.

in its inner surface, a stationary piston in said cylinder, a rack secured to said gun and engaging the teeth on said cylinder, and a ring shrunk onto the gun to which said rack is fastened, substantially as described.

12; The combination with a gun, of a casing to its normal position tially as described.

said pistonfsupports for der providedwith gear teeth on a part of itsperiphery inclosing said piston, stops in the groove of varying area on its inner surface and the ends of said cylinder being provided in which said gun is mounted and adapted to slide, gun to'the said cylinder to cause the latter to rotate and spiral springs connected to said cylinder and said casing to restore the gun after firing, substana recoil-cylinder journaled in said cas- 13; Recoil mechanism for guns,-consisting of a stationary piston and shaft having screwthreaded and enlarged portions supporting said shaft, a cylininterior of said cylinder to limit its motion, said cylinder also being provided with a with a circular groove, with which extensions .on the means for transmitting therecoil of the with journals,

scribed.

14. A casing for a gun, having the upper 'part made substantially circular in shape and provided with two grooves, one for theireception of an enlarged part-of the gun and 25 the other for the reception of a rack attached to said gun, proj ections on said casing adapted to receive a shaft for elevating and depressing said gun, said casing being also provided piston engage, substantially as de- 20 for'the reception of the main 3o 1 

